I woke up early this morning to go see a doctor. Turns out I did not have an appointment, but it was just to go to a walk-in clinic. However, I noticed a big difference in my eye and haven’t had any pain for over 24 hours now. So I think I am healing up just fine. If I notice my eye symptoms persisting or worsening, then I will go to the clinic. But today, I decided to save some time and money and decided to take a short walk around my guesthouse prior to getting ready to go to my class instead of visiting the doctor.
Kyoto is a very traditional city that is known for it’s temples, kimonos, and geishas; so having the opportunity to explore this culturally-rich city on my own felt important to me. Sadly, I didn’t get very far because the sun was very strong out this morning and I was beginning to feel a bit overheated. Despite only walking for around 40 minutes, I still noticed a lot of interesting and cool things. I even got to try a crab stick that I purchased from a vendor! I noticed a lot of the shops around Kyoto are “mom and pop” places, which are abundant here in Kyoto compared to my home town where they are quickly beginning to disappear. I really enjoy small businesses because they’re always unique and help bond communities together. Most of the small shops I saw on this walk were shops that sell kimonos, coin purses, fans, and other odds and ends.
Once I got home from my stroll, I decided to take a small break in my room and chat with my roommate. I had a few hours to kill before I had to make my way to the bus stop to go to class. I wasn’t really sure what to do with that time since my day barely started and it was just too warm for me to go outside. But I didn’t have to think much longer as to what to do because I ended up getting an unexpected knock on my door from my next door neighbor who invited us for lunch in her room. I joined in and she prepped a whole traditional Chinese lunch for me and one other girl! Turns out her dad is a professional chef and taught her how to cook.
After lunch, I went straight to class with my friends and we spent around four hours in class before heading back home to prepare to go to Kyoto Station. Kyoto Station is basically a big station where there’s trains, buses, and also a lot of stores, restaurants, and bars. I wanted to go to get a little cloth to use to dry my hands with since a lot of bathrooms here in Japan do not have towels or hand dryers. I also wanted to go to explore the city a bit more at night. I had a lot of fun at Kyoto station and had a really filling and delicious cheap meal at a small restaurant near by. I got a bowl of rice, with fresh raw tuna, green onion, and a raw egg. After having a long day full of walking and waking up extra early, I decided to take the bus back home. While I was waiting for my bus, there was a small fountain show right in front of the bus stop. It was basically a very miniature version of the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas. Music was played along with the fountain water doing different things while being lit by rainbow lights. It was really nice to watch while waiting for my bus.
Once I got on my bus, I took it back home and now here I am… Writing my blog to wrap up another great day in Kyoto!
Till next time!